Three Thanksgivings by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was originally published in 1909, illustrating that the author was very much ahead of her time with the story's overall theme of early feminism. In this story the protagonist, Delia Morrison, may be forced to sell her home because she cannot come up with the principal payment for her mortgage. Peter Butts, a long-time friend of Delia's, tries to convince her to marry him in order to keep her house. At the same time, Delia's two children want her to sell her house and move in with them.

It seems, however, that each of her children is motivated by a desire for financial benefit. This is foreshadowed early in the story when Delia's daughter Jean suggests that her mother sell the house and invest the profits in Jean's husband's business. The theme continues when Delia visits her son Andrew on...